Combination flusher and air filter cleaner



Dec,A 9,. l947. E. w. DAVIS COMBINATION FLUSHER AND AIR FILTER CLEANER Filed Aug. 20, 1942 L ums III ummm ab l Patented Dec. 9, 1947 COMBINATION FLUSHER AND AIR FILTER CLEANER Ernest W. Davis, River Forest, Ill., assgnor to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia Application August 20, 1942, Serial No. 455,521

3 Claims.

My invention relates to combination flusher and air filter cleaners, and is more particularly concerned with an apparatus specially designed, and intended for flushing the dierentials and transmissions of automobiles, and forY cleaning the cartridges provided in the air filters for the engine carburetors.

An object of my invention is to provide a combination ilusher and air lter cleaner which is of a type adapted for use in garages and service stations, and which may readily be used in connection with the facilities normally provided in such places.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved combination lusher and air lter cleaner, which may readily be moved from place to place.

Another object is to provide a new and improved combination flusher and air lter cleaner, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and which will stand rough usage and abuse without injury, and without requiring any particular attention.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved combination ilusher and air filter cleaner, which has a minimum of moving parts.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved combination ilusher and air filter cleaner, which provides receptacles for the J cleaning fluid and for the waste removed from the transmissions and dilerentials.

Another object is to provide 4a combination flusher and air lter cleaner which can be used to remove different kinds of lubricants from automobile transmissions and differentials, and other housings.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a View showing the manner in which my invention is utilized in flushing the differential casing of an automobile;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a detail, and is taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the valve mechanism for creating suction and pressure; and

Figure 5A is an enlarged sectional view of the disc valve shown in Figure 1.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention as having a base I l) which is mounted on casters I2 to facilitate movement of the combination flusher and air 55 lter cleaner from place to place about a garage or service station. The base I0 may be stamped from sheet metal, or otherwise formed in any suitable manner, and acts as a support for a cylindrical cover I4 which rests upon the upper surface of the base IIJ and forms a support for an upper tank IB which is welded, or otherwise suitably secured to the upperend of the cover I4.

The tank I6 has a removable drain plug I8 which extends through the cover I4 and may be removed at relatively long intervals for the purpose of cleaning the tank I6. The upper end of the tank I'B is closed by a top 20 which may be formed as a sheet metal stamping, and which supports a container 22 of smaller size than, and located within, the tank I6. The container 22 is adapted to hold an air lter cartridge such as is indicated at 24, and a removable cover 25 having a handle 2'8 is provided for the container 22.

The container 22 has drain openings 30 which permit the liquid in the container 22 to drain into the tank I6. An inlet pipe 32 is provided for the container 22, and has a sheet metal head 34 removably supported on the upper end of this pipe. The head 34 has downwardly directed openings 36 whereby the liquid entering the inlet pipe 32 may ow into the interior of the container 22 and into the cylindrical opening in any filter cartridge which may be placed therein.

lThe lower end of inlet pipe 32 is connected to a T tting 38 having a valve seat 40 adapted to be closed by a ball valve 42 which is urged by gravity against the seat 40. A sleeve 44 is attached to the lower end of the T 38 and has an in-turned ange 46 forming a seat for a disc valve 48 which is urged by gravity against its seat 4S. The lower end of the fitting 38 is slotted as indicated at 49 so that the disc valve 48 will not seal thereagainst.

A pipe 5U has its lower end connected to the T tting 38 between the valve seats 40 and 46. The upper end of the pipe 5i) extends through a suitable opening in the top 2U and is threaded as indicated at 52, see Fig. 3, to receive a tubular nut 54. A hat shaped sealing member 56, whose upper end is clamped between the end of pipe 50 and a metal washer 58 abutting against shoulder provided by the nut 54, serves as a means for forming a sealed connection between the pipe and a nozzle which I shall presently describe.

A usher tank 62 is suspended from the top 25 vand is located in the tank I3 at one side of the container 22. A pipe 64 extends downwardly into the flusher tank 62 to a point just above the bottom of this tank. This pipe 64 has its upper end threaded into a casting 66, see Fig. 4, attached to the cover 28. A duct 68 in thecasting 66 communicates with the upper end of pipe 64 and with a hose or other flexible conduit 'I0 whose end 1| is screwed into the casting 66, as shown in Fig. 4. The other end of the hose Vis provided with a `nozzle 'E2 having a laterally directed end 14 adapted to be inserted in the lling opening 16 of a diierential housing 18, as indicated *in Fig. 2; The end lli of the nozzle l2 is also adapted to be inserted in the upper end of .the

pipe 50, as shown in Fig. 3, and when so inserted, this nozzle forms a sealed connection with the sealing means 56 in the upper end of the .pipe 58..

The casting 66 forms a part of a valve mechanisrn for creating either suction or pressure `in the flusher tank 62. This valve mechanism includes a plate 80 clamped between the casting 66 and a valve body 82 having an inlet 84 adapted to be connected by a ilexible hose 86 with the air Ypressure tank, which is a standard part of the equipment of every service station and garage, and whic'hprovides the air for'iniiating tires and for other purposes.

The valve body 82 has a valve chamber 88 which is iii-communication with the inlet 8|l-and with a duct 9i! leading to a second valve chamber 9.2, so that both of these valve chambers are at all ftimes in communication with the air in the pressure tank. Valve chamber 88 has an outlet port 84 controlled by a valve 96 connected with a control button 98 adapted for manual actuation. A cup Washer Illiliorms a seal between the .button 88 and the valve body 82, and since the diameter of this washer is greater than the diameter of the port 9d, the air pressure serves to hold the valve 96 in closed position.

When button 98 is moved inwardly to open valve 96, air passes from valve chamber A88 into outlet chamber |02, and thence through concentric nozzles |83 and |86 to atmosphere. These nozzles are arranged to produce the eiect of a Venturi tube and the escape of air through the nozzles |82 and |66 creates suction in a suction chamber |68, which communicates With the Venturi-like throat between the nozzles. The head of the button 98 contacts the upper surfaceV of the valve body 82 before the valve 96 can close the passage through nozzle lll. The `suction in the vchamber |88 is communicated through port H0, chamber H2, and duct H6 Yto the flusher tank 62.

When it is desired to create pressure in the ilusher vtank 62, button H6 is depressed `to move valve ||8 away from'port |20 and to move this valve `to a position where it closes port IIU. Air under pressure can then iiow from inlet ,8d through valve chamber 88, duct'90, valve chamber 92, port |22, chamber H2, and duct H4 into the upper end of the flusher tank 62. By manipulating the buttons 98 and H6, either pressure or suction may be created in the flusher tank 62.

A waste tank |22is supported directly on the base IE and has a drain |24'normally closed by a removable plug |26 for cleaning of the Waste tank 22 at relatively long intervals. |28 empties into the top of the waste tank |22, and has a `flaring mouth |38 located above the Vtop 2li'through which the pipe |28 passes. The aring mouth |33 is adapted to receive the -end `hl of nozzle i2 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

A cleaning iiuid tank |32 is supported on the top i3d-of waste tank |22..V The tank 1.3.2.has an A down spout outlet pipe |36 which extends' from a point immediately above the bottom of this tank to a pointy above the top 20. The upper end of the pipe |36 is provided with a nut 54 and with sealing means identical with that connected to the top of pipe 50. The upper end of cleaning fluid tank |32 is closed by a cover |38.

When it is desired to use my combined flusher and air lter cleaner to flush old lubricant from a differential housing, the nozzle end 14 is inserted ,in the filler opening of the differential housing, as indicated in Fig. 2. The operator then depresses button 88 to create a, suction in lusher tank 62, whereupon the old lubricant in the difierential housing is sucked into this flusher tank. The noise resulting from the flow of the old lubricant into the flusher tank is readily audible,

and when this noise ceases, the operator can tell that the differential housing has been emptied of lubricant. If desired, the adjacent walls of iiusher tank 62, tank |6, and cover I4, could be provided with windows which would indicate at all times the quantity of liquid in the usher tank.

After all lubricant has been withdrawn from the differential housing 18, the operator releases Y button 98 and withdraws the end i4 of nozzle i2 from this housing and inserts the end 14 of this nozzle in the mouth |33 or down spout |28, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The operator then depresses pressure button H6, which admits air under pressure to the flusher tank and forces the old lubricant upwardly through pipe 64, hose l0, and nozzle l2, into down spout |28. This old lubricant iiows downwardly in this down spout and into the waste tank |22, which serves as a collection receptacle for quantities of old lubricant withdrawn from differential housings, transmission housings, and similar containers. When all of the old lubricant has been discharged from the flusher tank 62 into waste tank |22, the operator releases pressure button H3 which returns to the off position.

The operator then withdraws end T4 of nozzle 12 from the mouth of down spout |28 and inserts this nozzle in the upper end of pipe |36. Since the upper end of this pipe is provided with sealing means like that show n in Fig. 3, a sealed connection is formed between the upper end of this pipe and end 'lli of nozzle 12. The operator then depresses the suction button 98, which creates a suction in flusher tank 62 and draws thereinto cleaning iiuid from the tank |32. When desired quantities of cleaning fluid have been admitted to lusher tank 62, the operator releases the suction button 98 and withdraws the end 'M of nozzle 12 from the upper end of pipe |36.

The operator next inserts the end 14 of nozzle 12 in the ller opening 'I6 of the diiierential housing '58. He then depresses the pressure button ||6 which forces the cleaning fluid from the usher tank 62 into the housing 1S. By alternately depressing and releasing the suction and pressure buttons 98 and ||6, respectively, the operator can cause the cleaning fluid to switch back and forth between the flusher tank V62 and the diierential housing 'i8 and thoroughly clean this housing and the gearing located therein. As soon as this has been accomplished and all of the cleaning uid has been returned to the iiusher tank 62, .theoperator withdraws the end 14 of nozzle '|2 from the ller opening pressure button ||6 to create pressure in the flusher tank 62. The cleaning or flushing of the differential housing is now complete, and fresh lubricant can be supplied thereto from any suitable lubricant compressor or other source of lubricant supply.

When it is desired to use my combination flusher and air filter cleaner to clean the cartridge of an air filter, the cartridge is located in the container 22 as indicated by reference numeral 24, and cover 26 is placed over the container 22 as shown in Fig. 1. The end 'I4 of nozzle I2 is inserted in the upper end of pipe |36 and cleaning fluid is drawn from tank |32 into flusher tank 62 by pressing down on suction button 98 until the desired quantity of cleaning fluid is in the flusher tank 62. The end 14' of nozzle 'I2 is then withdrawn from the upper end of pipe |36 and inserted in the upper end of pi-pe 50.

The operator then depresses button I I6 to admit air pressure to the flusher tank 62 and to force the cleaning fluid therein through hose I and nozzle 12 into pipe 50. The cleaning fluid flowing into pipe 50 raises ball valve 42 and flows into the center of the cartridge 24 by way of inlet pipe 32 and openings 36 in head 34. The cleaning fluid thus flowing into the center of the hollow cartridge 24 flows outwardly through the walls of this cartridge and removes the dirt and other impurities therefrom. The contaminated cleaning fluid then flows into tank I6 through drain openings 3U. Disc valve 48 remains closed while fluid is being supplied to the container 22.

After all of the fluid in flusher tank 62 has been passed through the cartridge 24, the pressure button is released and the suction button is depressed. This creates a suction in flusher tank 62 and the cleaning fluid in tank I6 is drawn upwardly past disc Valve 48 through pipe 50, nozzle 12, and hose 10, to flusher tank 62. By alternately depressing the ypressure and suction buttons, the cleaning fluid can be passed through the cartridge 24 any desired number of times. After the cartridge has been thoroughly cleaned, the end I4 of nozzle 12 is withdrawn from pipe 50 and inserted in down spout |28, and the dirtyV cleaning fluid discharged into Waste tank |22.

An important feature of my invention lies in the provision of means for performing all of the necessary functions through the use of compressed air supplied from the usual air pressure tank which forms lpart of the equipment of every garage and service station. This makes it unnecessary to provide any motor mechanism or mechanical pump for circulating the fluids, and thereby greatly reduces the cost of manufacture. 'I'he elimination of such motor mechanism and mechanical pumping means also eliminates service difficulties, and produces an apparatus having a minimum of moving parts, and these few moving parts are of extremely simple and rugged construction.

While I have illustrated only a single embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that my invention is susceptible of numerous variations and modifications, and that the scope of my invention is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a combined ilusher and air filter cleaner of the class described, the combination of a base, a first tank supported directly on said base, a second tank supported on said rst tank, a cover supported on said base, a third tank supported by said cover, a flusher tank mounted in said third tank, an air cleaner container mounted in said third tank, means for creating suction or pressure in said flusher tank, and a single conduit means for connecting said flusher tank with said container and with said other three tanks, the parts being constructed and arranged so that the ilusher tank communicates selectively through the single liquid conduit with the air cleaner container and with said other three tanks to draw liquid from each of the same or fill each with liquid. y

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a first tank, a container located in said tank and having drain openings communicating therewith, a T connection in said tank and below said container, a conduit connecting said T connection with the interior of said container, valve means controlling flow through said conduit, valve means connecting said T with said tank at a point adjacent the bottom thereof, a pipe connected to said T, a flusher tank, a hose for selectively connecting said flusher tank with said pipe or with a source of cleaning fluid, and means for alternately connecting said flusher tank with pressure or suction producing means.

3. A combination ilusher and air -lter cleaner comprising a cleaning fluid tank, a Waste tank, a cartridge container, a cartridge cleaning tank in which said container is located, a flusher tank, a single liquid conduit for said flusher tank, conduit means leading to said cleaning fluid tank, conduit means leading to said cartridge container and said cartridge cleaning tank, conduit means leading to said waste tank, means associated with said single liquid conduit adapted to establish communication between any one of said conduit means or a, lubricant housing to be flushed and said single liquid conduit, and means for creating suction or fluid pressure in said flusher tank for drawing material thereinto or discharging material therefrom through said single conduit, the parts being constructed and arranged so that the flusher tank communicates selectively through the single liquid conduit with the cleaning iluid tank, Waste tank, cartridge cleaning tank and said lubricant housing to draw liquid from each of these or ll the same with liquid.

ERNEST W. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,955,169 Bertschinger Apr. 1'7, 1934 2,020,350 Bertschinger Nov. 12, 1935 2,174,311 Born Sept. 26, 1939 1,666,992 Collier Apr. 24, 1928 2,223,553 Davis Dec. 3, 1940 2,295,539 Beach Sept. 15, 1942 

